Number of Ex-offenders Who Secured Employment through Yellow Ribbon Singapore in Past Three Years and Incentives for Employers to Hire Them

Mr Abdul Samad asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) for each year in the past three years, what is the number of ex-offenders who have secured employment through the Yellow Ribbon Singapore; and (b) whether the Ministry is considering to provide incentives for employers to hire ex-offenders.

The number of ex-offenders who secured employment through Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) is shown in the table below. Many others secure employment on their own.

As of September 2021, more than 6,000 employers have registered with YRSG to offer jobs to ex-offenders. YRSG helps employers understand the support ex-offenders need at the workplace. For example, YRSG’s career coaches work with both ex-offenders and their employers to set behavioural goals, resolve work-related issues and develop ways to create and sustain an inclusive work environment. YRSG and the Institute for Human Resources Professionals will be running a Project Beyond Hiring initiative to develop the coaching competencies of employers and workplace supervisors.

YRSG also works with other public agencies to encourage employers to hire ex-offenders. For example, YRSG has collaborated with Workforce Singapore since 2019 to offer the Career Trial programme to employers and ex-offenders. This allows both ex-offender jobseekers and employers to try out work opportunities for up to three months and assess if there is a job fit. While on the trial, the jobseekers will receive a training allowance, and those employed for at least three months after the trial will receive a retention incentive. As of September 2021, the Career Trial has supported around 70 employers and benefited more than 280 ex-offenders.

Amidst the uncertain economic conditions posed by COVID-19, additional measures have been introduced to encourage employers to continue hiring local workers, including ex-offenders. Employers who hired ex-offenders through YRSG, the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (ISCOS), or halfway houses engaged by the Singapore Prison Service, will automatically receive the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) if they meet the eligibility criteria. Employers hiring ex-offenders receive the higher tier of support of up to $36,000 per hire. Between September 2020 and May 2021, the JGI has supported around 1,000 ex-offender hires by 380 employers. The JGI has been extended by another six months and will cover eligible hires until March 2022.